Tottenham Hotspur ended a run of three successive defeats in the Premier League with a hard-fought draw against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, but will now need to return to winning ways to fight for a top-four spot.
Ange Postecoglou has worked wonders in north London since leaving Celtic for the Premier League in the summer. Still, while Spurs blitzed into form in the early stages of the season, the squad's thinness has unravelled the progress across recent weeks.
The injury-ravaged side is still only two points off fourth-placed Aston Villa and will have been galvanised by the point claimed at the Etihad Stadium.
However, the January transfer window must be utilised, and while the backline requires the most urgent attention, Postecoglou will be eager to strengthen his attacking options too.
Tottenham transfer news – Wilfried Gnonto
According to a piece from Football.London at the end of last month, Tottenham have shown an interest in signing Leeds United's Italian forward, Wilfried Gnonto.
According to Calciomercato, Leeds would look to recuperate €30m (£26m) for the 20-year-old, and whether Spurs would agree to such an outlay remains to be seen, despite the youngster's undoubted talent.
Gnonto handed in a transfer request in August as Everton pursued his signature for £25m and presented four official offers, and while efforts were rejected, there is now a clear sense that the Whites would grant his departure if their valuation was met.
Wilfried Gnonto's style of play
Gnonto was one of the bright sparks at Elland Road last season as Leeds crashed out of the Premier League, with the dynamic forward hailed for his "electric pace" and knack for being an "absolute nightmare for defenders" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Signing for Leeds from Swiss side FC Zurich for £4m in 2022, Gnonto only bagged four goals and assists apiece in his maiden term in England but succeeded in convincing a host of outfits of his quality, leading to a frenzy of activity for his signature this year.
The 13-cap Italy starlet ultimately remained in Yorkshire, however he has not been handed a regular starting berth under Daniel Farke's leadership and has started just six Championship matches, scoring one goal and supplying one assist.
Nonetheless, he is a tremendous talent and would be a fantastic addition to Spurs' budding dynasty, with Postecoglou perhaps initiating the next wave of attacking might down the N17 by completing a transfer.
Spurs' attacking segment is probably more secure than several other areas of the field, with the backline particularly flimsy and in need of reinforcements, but Gnonto would offer a special slice of quality to be moulded into something spectacular over the coming years.
And with Heung-min Son, aged 31, now shifted into the role of focal frontman – to great effect, by the way, scoring nine goals and providing two assists from 11 games in the English top-flight up top – there is space for such a player to make the move and earn a place against the likes of Brennan Johnson.
Why Tottenham should sign Wilfried Gnonto
Gnonto boasts pace and power and, principally placed on the left wing, could prove to be the perfect heir to Son's position in the team in the future, especially with Richarlison still flattering to deceive.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across divisions similar to the Championship over the past year, showcasing his aptitude as a "pocket rocket" – as has been claimed by pundit Tam McManus – barrelling into the danger area with attacking abandon.
His even spread of goals and assists for the Whites further evidences the protean ability that could replicate Son's prowess, with the South Korean machine posting 154 goals and 82 assists across his Spurs career.
With someone of Alejo Veliz's calibre awaiting a breakthrough to the starring centre-forward spot in the future too, Spurs really could hit the jackpot here.
Veliz, also aged 20, signed from Argentinan club Rosario Central for £13m in the summer and has been touted as the "complete" striker by Kulig, which could lead him to succeed Harry Kane as Spurs' talisman in the long-term.
Kane has been praised as a "phenomenon" by Bayern Munich sports director Christoph Freund after destroying German football since moving from Tottenham in the summer and ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 13% for assists and the top 19% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
Competition
Apps
Goals
Assists
Bundesliga
12
18
5
Champions League
5
4
2
DFL-Supercup
1
0
0
*Stats sourced via Transfermarkt
This evidences the 'complete' skill set that has cemented him as one of the finest players of his generation, and while they are big boots to fill, Veliz is viewed as a prospect with the potential to emulate the Lilywhites' record scorer, having been purchased as he departed.
For his part, the Argentinan ace ranks among the top 15% of forwards for goals, the top 1% for clearances and the top 12% for aerial wins per 90, which really does underscore the multi-functionality that became such an effective trademark of Kane's brilliant career at Tottenham.
With Veliz's natural ease in the striking role and Gnonto's marauding brilliance, Spurs really could unearth a strikeforce of immense quality for years to come.
With Son still plying his trade at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and capable of offering his guidance and skills to the respective pair, this could be a prudent investment that would pay off handsomely.
Conte's "special" £25m Spurs signing is now worth more than Son
This dynamic Lilywhite is a truly thrilling talent.
ByAngus Sinclair Dec 1, 2023
Postecoglou and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will now need to juggle the club's needs and decide whether £26m could be spared for a player such as Gnonto this winter – or indeed if negotiations could whittle down the price, with Rodon used as a bargaining chip – but certainly, it might be a brilliant move that could be lauded down the line.
